Kerosene vaporizer



July 3, 1923. 1,460,583

I W. H. HILL KEROSENE VAPORI ZER Filed July 5, 1918 y Midi! j W LLIAM H. HILL-(l1? MAnA'rn PoR'ro m q To all whom it may cance m:

" Vaporizers, offwhich the following is 'a I 1ngs, 1n whichcombustible. properties of any of the con- Patented July 3, 1923."

xnnosnnnvAionrznn Application filed my Be it known thatI, WILLIAM Manati, Porto Rico, have invented certain new and useful lmproveme'ntsyin Kerosene clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for volatilizing or vaporizing liquid fuels, and

particularly to apparatusi'n which the liquid -'fuel is transformed:into-its gaseous'or vaporized state Without first being atomized. Anobject of the invention is to provide a liquid fuel volatilizing apparatus in which the heavier-liquid fuels, such askerosene,

may be completely or substantially'cOm pletely volatilized without injury to the stituents of the fuel.

Another object of'theinvention is to pro-" vide apparatus for volatilizingliquid fuels, in which the vVOlatlllZlIlg IIlGfiI1S aQtS d1- rectly upon the fuel,th at will" operate to vaporize only enough fuel to meet the deof the constituents of the fuelwill be acted upon directly by the volatilizmg means and yet will be volatilizd at a temperature which will secure complete or substantially com-" plete volatilization without-excessive heat.

An, important feature of the invention is the arrangement, in combination with a differentially heated surface" for effecting the volatilization of the constituents of the fuel at'heats' appropriate to the respective con stituents, of means-for directing the fuel to be volatilized over said surface in a" film and in such mannerthat selective volatilization is efi'ected-by appropriately heated parts'of the surface.

Q'Another important feature of the 'iliveni' tionisthe provision of means for at once conducting away" from the volatilizihg means the different constituents of the fuel they. are volatilize Land of means wherebyv theaction of theiapparatus is pi'opo H. HI L; a'citizen of the United States,* residing at 1918. Serial No, 243,172. r

tioned'to thedemand madeupo'n it. i

Othe'r objects and fi mpo'rtan't teammate theinvention will appear from the follow-1 ing description and claims when cfo'nsidered in connection wlth theaccompanyingdraw Fig. 1 is a'vertical sectionthroughliquid fuel volatilizing ineanseinbodyin'g thepress, H 7 ent invention,

Fig; 2 is an end ea; Ontapparatus a plan View partly in section; Fig. '4: 1s a perspective detail o'f the'nieans for preventing slopping over of theffuel; I Fig. '51s a v1ew 1n elev,at1on' andfpartly and sectional showing the volatilizing means, the

associated gas and air mixer, and the{elecf trlc primer for'use ,1n startingan internal;

AS hereinabove suggestedjpthe liquldfuell combustion motor.

volatilizing means of-the present invention 1s intended to operate directly "upon the fuel without the intervention of means for atomizing the 'fuelo'r mixing with air.

To this end the illustrated device comprises a cylindrical chamber 2, bounded a: wall a ot shown in Fig. 1, lookingfrom the-right;' p

4, which constitutes the volatili'zing means proper, this wall being arranged to be-'di.fj-* ferenti'ally heated so that different parts of the wa'llare heated to different"temperatures. The chamber also has a bottom 6 pro vided with an internally and externally I threaded I extensionor hollow. boss '8. The means for heating the wall 4 qof thef chamber 2 in the illustrated construction comprises a casing, 10 having open ends- 12; i and 14, constitutlng, respectively, intake andwexit openings for the motor exhaust gases-or other suitable heating fluid; The casing .10 isfshaped' between its ends -12" and 14 to receive the lower flanged part of" the volatilizin'g means, this part:- of the wallor As'QftllG volatilizin'g' means being-provided with relatively wide heat-'co1le'ctin flanges 16," the pper one-of whichjshown 'at 18;?

is provided"; with a} shoulderQO bearing 1 ains he i ef e 10f t e n QJ'A-j Q i, aeeaese nut 22, threaded upon the boss 8 of the bot tom 6 of the volatilizing means and bearing against the bottom of the casing 10, clamps the shoulder 20 against the upper face of said casing 10 and thus rigidly unites the casing 1 0 with the volatilizin chamber. Above the: flange 18 and outside the casing 10, the Wall 4 of the volatiliz'ing chamber 2 is provided With heat radiating flanges 24, which are preferably somewhat narrower than the heat-collecting flanges 16.

The heat collected by the flanges 16, and directly collected by the wall 4 within the casing 10, is conducted "to some extent up through the Wall 4 and outside said casing. A part of this heat will be radiated by the lower flanges 24, thus reducing the temperature of the Wall just outside the casing 10 belowthat inside said casing, and the further radiating action of the flanges 24 above the lower fianges'24 will cause a still further reduction of the amount of heat conducted up the wall, thus producing a decided differential in the temperature of the wall 4 at different points, the upper end of the wall being the leastheated.

The object of thus differentially heating the wall 4 is to provide for volatilizing the differentconstituents of the liquid fuel, for example kerosene, at their appropriate heats of volatilization without over-heating, and the purpose of the particular relative arrangement of the differently heated parts of the surface in the illustrated device is to provide for passing the fuel to be volatilized first over the least heated parts of the surface, in order first to volatilize the more volatile constituents of the fuel before the less volatile parts-are directed over the more heated parts of the surface. In the illustrated construction, the fuel to be volatilized is introduced into the upper end of the chamber 2'and is caused toflow down over the surface of the wall 4 in a relatively thin film, means being provided for direct ing the fuel to be volatilized substantially over the Whole inner surface of the Wall 4.

The illustrated means for introducing the liquid fuel to be volatilized into thevolatilizi'ng means, and fordirecting it over the heat imparting surface of the. wall 4, comprises a chambered part 26 threaded upon the upper part of the wall 4, the Wall 4 have ing an exteriorly beveled or frusto-conical part 30 projecting into the chamber 28 within the member 26, the inner wall of the chamber 28- about the beveled upper end 30 of the Wall 4 being cylindrical. An annula'r groove 35 'is thus provided about the upperendof 'the Wall 4, which communi cates with acha'm'ber 32 in -a lateral extension 34'ofthe member 26, this groove being adapted to carry the liquid fuel about the upper end of the wall 4, and to constitute a spilLWay from which the, liquid fuel Will be fed to the inner surface of the wall 4 to meet the demands upon the volatilizing means. To prevent slopping of the fuel over the upper edge of the Wall 4, in the event that the device is carried upon a moving vehicle, a guard 36 is provided, this guard having a sleeve portion fitting withln the upper end of the chamber 2 and having perforations 38, preferably spaced evenly along the upper edge of the Wall 4, through which theliquid fuel may flow over into the chamber 2. the guard 36 projecting over the groove or spill-way 35 prevents slopping over the edge of an excess amount of the liquid fuel in the case of sudden tilting of the device.

The liquid fuel to be 'Vo'la'tilized is. preferably fed to the chamber 32 and to the groove or spill-way 35 by gravity froma suitable tanksi'itficiently elevated to give the required pressure, this tank (not shown) being connected by a pipe 42 and union 44 The overhanging part 40 ofto a nipple 46 threaded into a boss "48Lin the bottomvof the chamber 32. 1

The nipple 46 at its upper end is provided with a valve seat 50 for a valve 52, carried by a valve stem 54 connected to one arm of a lever 56 fulcruined in the walls of the chamber 52, the other arm of this lever 56 being adjustably connected to a rod 58 carrying at its lower end a float 60. A spring 62, surrounding the stem 54 and bearing against an adjustingplug 64 in Which'the t stem 54 is guided, is so" adjusted that the float 60 and valve52 -are counter-balanced, substantially in the position shown in Fig. 1. With the valve slightly opened and the float slightly above the bottom o f the cha n ber'2. i V

In this position of the parts, fuel 'will'be constantly fed to the chamber 32 and will overflow the upper edge of 'the wall 4 and run down over the heated inner surface of wall 4 until it is completely'volatilized and until the pressure of the gas within the chamber 2 1s sufiicient to overcome the pressure upon the fuel, due to the elevation of the. fuel containing tank. The pr'essurejof the gas 'in the chamber 2 will ofcourse vafry i with the demands made upon the volatilize ing means, and the rate of flow of the liquid fuel to the volatilizing means will therefore be varied proportionately.

The volatilized or vaporized fuel is conducted away from the chamber 2 through a pipe 66, connected by a union 68 t0 a thread ed boss 70vupon a removable cover 72,1 at the upper end of the chamber28, the ;pipe'66 and the opening 74 through the cover 72 and boss 70 being of-relativelyhsmall diameter to insure high speed of travel of the volatilized fuel or .gas, thus preventing condensation. If the volatilized or vapornemesis ofan internal combustion motor,fit must. be mixed with air or oxygen to form an explosive mixture, and in such case the pipe 66 is preferably connected to an air mixer intermediate between the volatilizing means and the manifold of the motor, a suitable mixer for this purpose being shown in Fig. 5 of the-drawings.

The illustrated mixer comprises a hollow casting 7 6 having a flange 78 surrounding an opening at one end for connection with the manifold of the motor to be supplied, and having an air intake opening 80 surrounded by a valve seat for a valve 82 controlling the amount of air taken in. to be mixed withrthe vaporized fuel. The vaporized fuel is conducted into the vchamber 84 of the'mixer through a pipe 86 of substantially the same diameter as the pipe 66, this pipe having at its upper end a valve seat for a needle valve 88 pivotally connected to a lever 90 fulcrumed at one end upon a link 92 pivoted upon an ear or ears 94 integral with the casting or casing 76 and pivotally connected at its other end to the stem 96 of the valve 82. The stem of the needle valve 88 is threaded for adjustment with respect tothe'lever 90 and also to receive a nut 98, against which bears a spring 100 connected at one end to thevcasting 76. By adjusting the needle valve 88- with respect to the lever 90, the relative proportions of air and vaporized fuel taken into the chamber 84 maybe varied, and by adjusting the nut 98 the spring pressure upon the valves may be varied.

lVhen the apparatus is used forsupplying volatilized or vaporized liquid fuel for use in an internal combustion motor, the motor may be started by a. more easily volatilized fuel, such as gasoline, or, as shown in the drawings, means may be provided for quickly volatilizing a sufficient amount of the liquid fuel employed to start the motor and provide exhaust heat for the operation of the volatilizing means of the present invention. In Fig. 5 of the drawings is shown somewhat diagrammatically an electric primer of the general type now in commercial use, comprising a heating coil 102 arranged to be completely immersedin the fuel in a chamber 104 connected with a fuel supply 106. By means of a three-way valve 108, the connection between the pipe 66 and the pipe 86 may be closed, and that between the pipe 107 leading to the chamber 10 1 may be opened, whereupon by sending an electric current through the coil 102, a supply of heated fuel, suflicient to start the motor and provide exhaust heat, may he quickly obtained.

,lVhen the demand upon the volatilizing apparatus is relatively. low,"as, for example, when the engine is idling, it 11S preferable that the heat imparted to the volatilizing meanssh'ally be locally intensified, and to this'end'means ispreferably provided for,

automatically locally varying the intensity of the heat imparted to the wall 4, in ac-- cordance with the variation in the demand made upon the volatilizing means. The illustrated means comprises a valve or vane 112 carried upon a rock-shaft 114 in'the casing 10 and arranged to swing across the inlet opening 12 and across the path of flow of the exhaust gases through the casing 10.

Outside the casing, the shaft 114 is provided with an arm 116, to which is connected a spring 118 attached at its other end to the casing 10, the spring 118 tending to move the valve or vane 112 in the direction'to close the opening 12.

From an inspection of F ig. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the valve or vane 112 will be swung more or less toward a horizontal position,-in accordance with the pressure or speed of flow of' the exhaust through the casing 10, and that the exhaust will therefore be directed over a greater or less number of the heat gathering flanges 16, in accordance with the pressure exerted uponthe vane 112. In order further to insure such direction of the exhaust, extens'ions 120 ofthe flanges 16 are preferably cast integral with the casing 10' and so shaped that they substantially meet the path of swing of the lower end of the vane 112, thus shutting off the upper flanges 16 from the exhaust gases.

If, for any reason in theoperation of the. device, the liquid fuel should be fed tothe" inner surface of the Wall 4' more rapidly than it can be converted into its vaporized or gaseous state, this fuel flowing down intothe bottom of the chamber. 2 will raise the float 60 and close the valve 52, thus shutting off afurther supply until that within the chamber 2, and particularly that which has fallen to the bottom of the chamber 2, has

been volatilized. The float 60 will also op erate to stop the further supply of fuel to the volatilizing means in the event that impurities in the liquid fuel, such as the heavier lubricating oils, have accumulated in the bottom of the chamber 2; Such impurities may be drawn off through thehollow boss 8,'which is preferably normally closed by'a plug 122. I

What I claim as new is c 1. In apparatus of the class described, means for volatilizing a liquid fuel, comprising a heated surface, means for directing the fuel in a. film over said surface, a chamber-for recelvmg the volatilized fuel,

a fuel supply and means whereby the operation of the fuel supply is governed by the amount of unvolatillzed fuel in said charmher.

2. In apparatus of the class described, means for volatilizing a liquid fuel, comprising a heated surface, means for directing the fuel in a film over said surface, a

chamber for receiving the velatillsaecl vfuel, a fuel supply governed by the pressure of the volatilized fuel and means whefeloy the supply of fuel is also governed by the amount of unvolatilized fuel in said chamber.

WILLIAM H. HILL. 

